Of all of Streeter's challengers, Kelly and Robinson appear to be the best poised to present a serious threat to the 14-year incumbent, who unsuccessfully challenged Reynolds in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District last year.

Kelly said he plans to spend up to $30,000 to take control of the crime-infested ward, and Robinson says he may pour as much as $50,000 into the race, a large amount for an aldermanic contest.

"I would think I would be the only person in the race who has the network and the capacity to bring resources and creative solutions to the 17th Ward," said Kelly, who first became active in politics in 1973 when he worked as an aide to the late Harold Washington, who at the time was a state representative.

Robinson, on the other hand, believes that he can use his business background to help revitalize the ward, which runs roughly from 64th Street on the north to 81st Street on the south, and from the Dan Ryan Expressway on the east to Damen Avenue on the west.

"This community can't survive unless it has a workforce and an industrial base," said Robinson, a Chicago native who spent several years living in Bolingbrook before returning to the city four years ago.

Streeter's other challengers hope their old-fashioned community activism will be more valuable than money. Bolen, for instance, is familiar with the ward not only as a resident but also as one of the area's community police officers.

"I believe we're at a time in our ward where we need a different vision, and a different type of leadership," said Bolen, who ran against Streeter in 1991.

Streeter could not be reached for comment.

In the 15th Ward, Jones' challengers include Richard Taylor, the son of former state representative and state senator James "Bulljive" Taylor; Dorothy Cooks, 44, a nurse; student C.L. Clay Jr., 21; Larry Williams, a Cook County Highway Department worker who ran for the aldermanic seat in 1987; and Bernard Robinson and David Whitehead, both of whom ran for the seat four years ago.

Jones, who is completing his first aldermanic term, said he was confident of being re-elected in the racially mixed ward, bordered by 55th Street on the north, 75th Street on the south, Ashland Avenue on the east and Kedzie Avenue on the west.

"I don't view any of them (the challengers) as being a serious threat to me because people in my community have seen more things done in the 15th Ward in the last four years than they've probably seen in 20 years," said Jones, whose No. 1 issue has been winning more construction contracts for minority workers.

But Cooks, who moved into the ward in 1971 and has been active in several community organizations, said she had the opposite impression of the alderman's work.

"I've seen our ward go from a thriving community to what you see now," said Cooks, who plans to spend at least $5,000 to get out her message that there needs to be more economic development in the area. "I want the 15th Ward to be a place you run to, instead of running from."

Economic development also is a key issue in the 21st Ward race, where Evans' challengers include Niles Sherman, a former alderman who fell out of favor when he supported former Ald. Edward Vrdolyak's quest to become Cook County Democratic Party chairman in 1982, and education activist Calvin Pearce, 42, a telephone company employee for the past 23 years.

Also running are teacher Thomas Coleman, 54, retired teacher and former Chicago Urban League official Myles Reed, 69, and Willie Tines, a former worker in Reynolds' congressional campaign. All three men also ran for the aldermanic seat in 1991.

Evans, a two-term incumbent, said he is especially proud of the economic development that has occurred in the area during his tenure, and his role in the appointment of a drug czar for Chicago.

But others in the community believe that not enough attention has been paid to economic development, or the drug problem in a ward that runs roughly from 80th Street on the north to 115th Street on the south and from the Dan Ryan Expressway on the east to Ashland Avenue on the west.

"We need to put together a team of people to run the 21st Ward like it is a corporation of 60,000 people in need of middle management," Pearce said.